Jeffery A. Deller
How Judge Deller rules, drawn from 15 signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
About Judge Deller
Jeffery A. Deller has served as a United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Western District of Pennsylvania since October 2005. Before his appointment, he worked as a deputy clerk of the bankruptcy court.
Judge Deller's practices and standing orders
Rules for cases before Judge Deller, as published on the court's website (checked October 10, 2026). Judges revise these often, so confirm the current version on the court's site before you file.
Key rules
Motions
Deliver a courtesy copy of an emergency motion or expedited-hearing request to the courtroom deputy.
“Courtesy copies of emergency motions or requests for expedited hearings should be provided and delivered to the courtroom deputy.”
Conferences
File a motion and proposed order at least three days before a hearing to seek continuance, rescheduling, or cancellation.
“No hearings will be continued, rescheduled, or cancelled, even if the matter has been settled, unless an appropriate motion and proposed order have been electronically filed with the Clerk at least 3 (three) days before the scheduled hearing date.”
Conferences
Counsel must appear for a scheduled hearing unless its scheduling order says otherwise.
“Counsel must appear at scheduled hearings unless the order scheduling hearing specifically provides otherwise.”
Trial
No witnesses are heard on motions days unless the court specifically orders otherwise.
“No witnesses will be heard on motions days unless the Court specifically orders otherwise in a particular case.”
Standing orders for every case in this court
Orders the court applies to all of its cases, whichever judge has them, as published on the court's website (checked October 10, 2026).
How Judge Deller decides
Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.
What persuades
A stay pending appeal is treated as exceptional relief that requires the movant to justify disrupting an operative order.
“A stay pending appeal is an extraordinary remedy that is not granted as a matter of right.”
Procedural preferences
Disputed facts about income, expenses, repayment efforts, and future prospects were left for trial on a student-loan dischargeability claim.
“genuine disputes remain as to each Brunner/Faish prong.”
Cautions
In In re Kaib, Deller criticized debtor’s counsel for inconsistent and incomplete disclosures about retainers, an unpaid prepetition claim, and prior representation of the debtor’s spouse. He denied the trustee’s motion to clarify an earlier fee order while explaining why those omissions troubled the court.
“The Court is troubled by the fact that counsel’s disclosures pursuant to 11 U.S.C. §§ 327, 328, 329 and 330 and Fed. R.Bankr.P. 2014, 2016, and 2017 have been inaccurate, incomplete and a moving target.”
Signed rulings
A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.
“The Motion for Stay Pending Appeal Pursuant to Bankruptcy Rule 8007 shall therefore be DENIED.”
“For all of the foregoing reasons, an order will be entered denying reconsideration of the Order Denying Motion to Reopen as well as the Motion to Vacate.”
“the Court hereby ORDERS, ADJUDGES and DECREES that the Chapter 7 Trustee’s Motion for Clarification of Order of Court is DENIED.”
“the Motion for Summary Judgment filed by Buneher shall be granted and the Motion for Summary Judgment jointly filed by ARDI and River Entertainment shall be denied.”
“the Court hereby ORDERS, ADJUDGES and DECREES that the Motion of Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, Inc. to Vacate the July 20, 2009 Order, In Part, By Striking All Determinations that the Mortgage was Brought Fully Current Both Pre-Petition and Posl-Petition as of the Date of the Trustee’s Last Distribution is DENIED.”
“The Motion to Dismiss filed by Baha’s Web, Inc. is GRANTED.”
“The Motion To Dismiss is DENIED.”
“The Defendant’s Motion to Clarify is DENIED as moot.”
“The Defendant’s Motion for Stay Pending Appeal is DENIED.”
“The Trustee’s Motion to Compel is GRANTED and the Defendant, Victoria M. Howard, is directed to immediately (i.e., without haste) comply with the Court’s prior orders of December 1, 2009 and December 10, 2009.”
“For the foregoing reasons, the Post-Trial Motion for Reconsideration is DENIED.”
“the Debtor’s Objection(s) to Claims is OVERRULED and said claims filed at claim nos. 2-1, 5-1, 6-1, 10-1, 12-1, 13-1, 14-1, and 15-1 are hereby ALLOWED.”
“the Court hereby ORDERS, ADJUDGES and DECREES that the Application for Approval of Attorneys is DENIED.”
“The Motion for Summary Judgment filed by the Debtor is GRANTED and the Motion for Summary Judgment filed by the Defendant U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (‘HUD’) is DENIED.”
Caseload & timing
From public federal docket records for this judge.
The duration summary remains limited to the original fixed oldest matter; the six added streams were selected to locate grounded outcomes.
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Ezel grounds your drafting and research in this profile: what has persuaded Judge Deller, and what has not, cited to the signed orders.
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